Wire-fence tool.



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PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

. J. A. MILLER.

WIRE FENCE TOOL. APPLIoATIoN FILED nu 19, 190s.

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y UNITED STATES Patented April 12, 1904.-

PATENT OFFICE.

WIRE-FENCE TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,213, dated Apr` 1'2, 1904.

Application filed May 19. 1903.

.To all `wiz/0m, it may concern: y

Beit known that I, JOHN A. M1LLnR,va citizen of the 'United States, and a resident of Avondale, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Wire-Fence Tool, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to tools employed in the erection and repairof wire fences, and has for its object to provide a tool of that character having novel details of construction that adapt it for eflicient service as a wire-stretcher and a staple-pulling implement.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts' in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the improved tool applied for stretching a fencewire. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the implement as applied for pulling staples. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the combinationtool, the handle portion being removed. Fig. 4 is a partly sectional side view ofthe same seen in the direction of the arrow m3 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View substantially on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of one of lai pair of` clamping-dogs employed. y

metal bar having agrip-piece 1()a in the nature of a spade-handle formed on one endv and a widened portion or head 10b ofsuitablelength at and near the opposite end thereof, and, as

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each dog having one end c rounded edgewise. At a suitable point near the edge c on each dog 11 a transverse perforation g is formed in the body of the dog, and the relative positions -of said perforations serve to dispose the curved edges c eccentricthereto, as is indicated for one dog in Fig. 6.

At a proper distance from the shoulders the lever-body 10 is transversely perforated near the transverse center for the reception of a pivot-bolt 12, the perforation being angular and a portion of the pivot-bolt between its ends being shapedto fit snugly in said perforation, as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In the side of each clamping-dog 11 that in service contacts with a respective si'de of the lever 10 an oblong recess e is formed, the bottom wall of which is centrally apertured by the perforation g. The angular portion g of the pivot-bolt12 may extend a short distance each side of the lever 10; but the remaining end portions of the pivot-bolt are rendered cylindrical and threaded for a portion of their length, said threaded ends receiving the nuts 12.

The dogs 11 are respectively mounted uponl the threaded end portions of the pivot-bolt 12,

- it will be seen that when the dogs are secured The lever 10 may be in the form of a fiat` in place on the end portions 0f the pivot-bolt by the nuts 12 theywll have sufcient clearance from'the sides of the levrlll to permit them to rock freely,`andtheaiutsfmay be also freely revolved on the bolt.

In the portions ofthe pivot-bolt 12 within IOO end portions of both of the dogs. 11 nearest to the grip-piece 10ab projections 14 may be formed or secured, which serve to limit the lateral vibration 'of either dog when it is rocked toward said projection for the release of the cam edge of the dog from a fence-wire B, which edge has by the action of the spring 13 been impinged upon the fence-wire, as will be further explained.

In Fig. 1 the device is shown as applied for stretching a fence-wire that has been secured by one end to one of a line of fence-posts and is to be drawn taut in contact with the fencepost A, to which it is to be secured in the yusual manner. As shown, the concave side of the curved head 10b is turned toward the side of the post and caused to have contact therewith, vthe degree of curvature of the head adaptingI it to engage with posts of different diameters. The operator holds the lever 10 horizontally and by pressing the uppermost dog11 toward the projection 14: rocks the dog suciently to carry the cam-curved edge c away `from the recess b that it is opposite, and thus` produce a channel between said parts wherein the fence-wire that has been held near the post may be introduced. The dog 11 is now released, permitting the spring 13, which has .been bent by the rocking movement ofthe dog, to resume its normal straight condition, whereupon the cam edge l0 of the dog will be pressed by the force of the spring into contact with the wire. At this stage of the operation the lever 10 is inclined away from the operator, as shown in Fig. 1, assuming that he is standing near the post A at the side whereonthe fence-wireB is to be secured by staples, as usual, although the operator may stand upon either side of lever in operating it. The grip-piece 10 is now pulled'upon,so as to rock the lever toward the operator, as indicated by the arrow w in Fig. 1, which will cause the dog 11 to bite upon the wire and draw the latter along the post, so as to stretch it. The operator by rocking the implement upon the post'as a fulcrum may give the lever 10 such aposition that he can'by standing with his body'fimcontacttherewith prevent the lever from` rocking backward, which'will leave his handsifreetoz'usel ahammer and drive a staple o"ver-fth'e"`wi"re"into"F the `post, thus securing the wiretothe'post 1-f5 the fence-wire'is to he drawn taut in a directiorfifppsite that'in-\ dicated in the drawings, lwhich isy from left` to right, this can be readilye'fectedby turning the tool over and disposing the lower dog uppermost. The tool may now be applied to the side of a fence-post whereon awire is to be stretched and secured, and the lever 10 will obviously be extended in a direction opposite that shown in Fig. 1, so that its rocking movement upon the fence-post will pull a wire in a direction opposite that indicated in said figurethat is to say, from right to left.

If fence-wires are to be moved from posts y Ito takeup slackness or rebuild the fence, this may be done by using the tool as indicated in Fig. 2. The curbed head 10b-in this service of the implement -is placed upon the post A adjacent to the fence-wire B and on the same side of the post therewith, this engagement of the head being effected after the heel ot' the head portion 1'()b has been hooked upon thewire near the post and the dog 11 that is uppermost is permitted to bite upon the wire. l The lever 10 is now pushed or drawn in the direction of the arrow m in- Fig. `2',4 which will kink the wire where it engages with'theiv` .l

shoulder b and the cam-face of the dog, while the free end ofthe curved head rocks. upon` the post and the wire is forced away from it', f thus pulling the staple h from the posti' Af rounded enlargement or boss c' may be'formed on the free end of the curved head 10b and said boss have a perforation z" therein to provide v convenient means forhanging the tool upon a nail or the like projecting from a wall.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a lever, a laterallycurved head on one end of the lever, and arecessed shoulder on the head at each side of the lever where the head is'joined thereto, ofy

two dogs respectively pivoted by a single bolt on opposite sides of the lever, each dog.i having a lateral recess therein, and springs" engaging the bolt and dogs within the-re` spective recesses in said dogs, each dog hav- 1ng a cam-shaped end which coacts with arespective recessed shoulder to hold a wire.

2. rIhe `,combination with a lever having a transverse grip-piece on one end,a laterallycurved head on the opposite end, terminating in a perforated enlargement, and a-shou'lder IOO betweenthe head and the body of vthe lever,

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